Wiganers not convinced about benefits of M6 smart motorway

Post Reporter

Delays on the Wigan stretch of the M6 are a regular feature of life but readers aren’t convinced the smart lane will help.

Readers were, in the main, sceptical about the announcement that work is set to on smart section of motorway in Wigan by the late summer.

A 10-mile stretch between the Orrell interchange and Croft in Cheshire - which is one of the busiest anywhere in the country - will receive an upgrade designed to make traffic flow smoother and reduce accidents.

But you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs and local motorists, already accustomed with the delays and 50mph roadwork restrictions further down the M6 and on the M60/M62 for several years now, will now face three years of disruption through the borough starting in September.

A spokesman for Highways England said: “The M6 between junctions 21a and 26 is a key strategic route carrying high volumes of vehicles between the North West, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. Smart motorways are a technology driven approach to tackling the most congested parts of the motorway network, improving journey reliability by controlling the flow and speed of traffic.”

The plan will also include variable speed limits.

Here are the views of some of our readers:

"Years of delays to look forward to, will not solve the problem of too many cars on the roads, that’s where the problem lies, it hasn’t made a difference on M62."
Gary Ormiston

"It will over run by a couple of years just like the M60 has."
Geoffrey Cook

"Whoever came up with this “smart motorway” idea should be tried in a court of law, they are lethal. A hard shoulder that is now a live lane! Think about it. Already there have been many deaths due to people ploughing into the back of stationary vehicles. Unbelievable."
Graham Vernon

"Smart motorway to be finished by 2021? Believe that too! How long has M60 been going on, sure they have employed snails to work on that motorway."
Marlon Brandon

"Nope, it’s going to cause mayhem."
Ryan Williamson

"Why are they putting in 50 mph speed limits to protect the workers that aren’t there."
Daniel Wood

"Not made a bit of difference to the M62. This will be yet another joke. Lucky to do 50 mph at morning rush hour. It needs more education on lane management at peak times, for example, avoid first lane on motorway entrances."
Peter Hamilton

"Smart motorway, Dumb drivers. That’s the problem."
Tom Boyle

"Spend the money fixing the poor roads we pay millions in road tax for, not on easy revenue with speeding cameras."
Tony Fox

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